A high-performance base layer that doubles as your kid’s softest and coziest set of pajamas? Yup, that pretty much describes our thermal long johns, designed for daytime adventures and a good night’s sleep.

To achieve this design goal, we rely upon a natural fiber engineered by Mother Nature’s patient evolution: merino wool. No other fiber—manmade or natural—can quite match merino’s unique properties.

While you’ll notice its softness first, merino’s unique qualities do not end there. Merino wool is a natural temperature-regulator, thanks to an insulating effect created by tiny crimping in its fibers. As a result, the wearer is insulated against hot and cold temperature swings—keeping you warm in the cold and cool in the heat. No synthetic fabric can replicate this effect quite like merino.

Merino also naturally wicks away moisture and retains heat even when wet—a key performance metric for winter play in the great outdoors. Cotton, on the other hand, robs the wearer of warmth when wet and dries slowly. In contrast, merino continues working hard to keep the wearer comfortable in dry and wet conditions. In fact, merino can hold up to one-third of its weight in water before it even feels wet!

And, unlike synthetic fabrics which stubbornly cling to odor (that is, bacteria!), merino is naturally anti-microbial which means your little one will have a better-smelling garment that needs less washing. What parent doesn’t need a little help cutting down on laundry?

If you’re like us, you are also drawn to merino as a natural fiber as opposed to, say, a petroleum-based fiber like polyester. If we’re heading outdoors, we just feel better wearing a high-performance fabric engineered by nature instead of plastic-based clothing.

Because let's talk about the issue of plastics. Every year, several millions of tons of plastic enter our oceans. This floating plastic includes microfibers that become separated from our synthetic clothing in the wash. These micro-plastics from synthetic clothing find their way into our streams, rivers, and oceans. And they never biodegrade. Those polyester baselayers will leave their mark on this earth for a LONG time.

Merino wool, on the other hand, is naturally biodegradable. In fact, if you were to bury a merino t-shirt in the ground, chances are it’ll be completely gone in less than a year! Merino will always return to the Earth.

When visiting another’s home, one of the first things I do is spy their book shelf. It’s like a taking a peek inside a friend’s or family member’s soul.

What do they value? What makes them tick? What dreams do they have? The contents of a book shelf can tell you so much, if you look and listen.

And so, we wanted to give you a small look at our book shelves — to show you what touches our hearts, souls, and minds. Our most cherished books include:

“The Wilderness World of John Muir: A Selection from his Collected Work,” edited by Edwin Way Teale. Our copy is flagged and underlined. Muir’s philosophical love prose to nature inspire us to share the natural world with our kids and preserve its beauty.

“The Portable Thoreau,” edited by Carl Bode. Written over 150 years ago, I’m always surprised at how Thoreau’s philosophy of living a simple and meaningful life rings as true as ever today. We can all relate to retreating into the woods, if only for a few hours on a hike, to live deliberately.

“The Last Empty Places: A Past and Present Journey Through the Blank Spots on the American Map,” by Peter Stark. In some ways, Stark is the latest in a long list of nature writers inspired by the words of Thoreau and Muir. In this book, which is equal parts environmental philosophy and exploration, Stark sets off with his family to explore the “empty places” in the US — natural and untouched wonders from Maine to New Mexico to Oregon.

“In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto,” by Michael Pollan. We love food — not just the necessity of its nourishment, but everything else that comes with it. A gathered table surrounded by friends and family. Its daily rhythms and pauses. Its pleasure and anticipation. And we thank Pollan for being a guide on much of our food journeys.

“Einstein Never Used Flashcards: How Our Children Really Learn and Why They Need to Play More and Memorize Less,” by Kathy Hisch-Pasek and Roberta Michnick Golinkoff. If you were to browse the parenting books on our shelves, you will notice a simple theme: play! In this book, the authors provide the scientific underpinnings behind the power of play and remind us to resist the urge to join the “roadrunner society” of faster, better, and more.

“Free to Learn: Why Unleashing the Instinct to Play Will Make Our Children Happier, More Self-Reliant, and Better Students for Life,” by Peter Gray. This book is probably JP’s favorite parenting book. Peppered with personal anecdotes, scientific observations, and even evolutionary biology, Gray’s book pulls at the heart strings while bringing intellectual rigor to the very simple, human, and necessary act of play!

“Simplicity Parenting: Using the Extraordinary Power of Less to Raise Calmer, Happier, and More Secure Kids,” by Kim John Payne. Payne’s message is simple: when we remove clutter and over-stimulation from our kids’ lives, they can just be kids—creative, playful, happy, and confident. (Not bad advice for us grown-ups either!)

“The More of Less: Finding the Life You Want Under Everything You Own,” by Joshua Becker. Self-described minimalist, Becker shares his story as the classic suburban family inundated by the weight of “too much.” Becker and his family discovered that, as they stripped away the excess, they found more time to pursue those activities that really mattered and enriched their lives.

“The Blue Zones of Happiness: Lessons from the World’s Happiest People,” by Dan Buettner. National Geographic’s Dan Buettner has traveled the world (from Denmark to Costa Rica to Singapore to the U.S.) to study the habits and secrets of happy long-living populations. Buettner provides an inspiring blueprint for how we can organize our lives, our neighborhoods, and our daily activities to find pleasure, purpose, and pride (the three “P’s” of happiness).

“Let My People Go Surfing: The Education of a Reluctant Businessman,” by Yvon Chouinard. Patagonia’s iconic founder recounts his story—from selling homemade products out of the back of his van while rock-climbing to building a conscious company that cares for, not just its profits, but its people and the environment too. As business owners, we strive to emulate Patagonia's compassionate and inspiring vision of what a business can and should be.

“Start Something that Matters,” by Blake Mycoskie. TOMS’ founder offers a peek into his successes and failures as an entrepreneur and, along the way, inspires the next generation of creative-minded individuals to start something that matters.

“Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion and Purpose,” by Tony Hsieh. “Delivering Happiness” is Hsieh’s story as the founder of two highly successful companies, including Zappos. Hsieh is an honest soul who realized that chasing profits, even successfully, would never make him happy; instead, pursuing creative endeavors and genuinely connecting with others are they keys to his contentment.

“The Icarus Deception: How High Will You Fly?”, by Seth Godin. When we need a bit of inspiration and courage, we turn to Seth Godin. A serial entrepreneur himself, Godin so perfectly captures the hopes, dreams, and fears of the entrepreneurial mindset…and reminds us to fly a little higher.

“The Millennial Lawyer: How Your Firm Can Motivate and Retain Young Associates,” by JP Box. Now this is a true fan favorite in our home, so I just had to include it here :)! This is JP’s book (husband and co-founder of Chasing Windmills), published this year!

So there you have it — a peek at some of our cherished books at home! What are yours?

Someone once asked The Minimalists, Joshua Fields Millburn & Ryan Nicodemus, what a minimalist wears everyday. Their answer: his or her favorite clothes.

As an apparel company, we are keenly aware of our impact in adding a new product to the stream of commerce. Above all, we strive to add value to your lives, to have our merino gear become the favorite pajamas and blankets in your little one’s wardrobe, and to provide beautiful simplicity and functionality for everyday adventures.

As parents of five-year-old twins, we are drawn to the minimalist ethos of surrounding yourself with the people and things you love, while stripping away life’s excesses.

Minimalism is a new movement based upon old principles. World religions, from Christianity to Buddhism, preach living a life centered on the essential items necessary to nourish your heart, your soul, and your mind.

Our literature is also full of kindred spirits pursing minimalism. Henry David Thoreau, writing in a small wooden cabin in a quiet forest, called for a “simplicity of life and elevation of purpose.” He cautioned against living “too fast” and warned that our lives “are frittered away by detail.” His rallying cry rings as true today as it did over 150 years ago: “Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity!”

With the New Year upon us, we are committing ourselves to living deeply and sucking out all the marrow of life (to paraphrase Thoreau). This commitment necessarily requires us to strip away the excess and shine a spotlight on that which truly enriches ourselves, our family and friends, and our community.

And so, here are a few of our action items to live more simply in 2018:

Enjoy dinner by candlelight during the winter. For the Christmas season, Sarah and our kids hand-rolled beeswax candles, decorated with wax hearts, and gave them as presents to family and friends — sharing the gift of warm light. We also kept plenty of candles for ourselves too :)

When we pause as a family to enjoy a dinner by candlelight, we remove the bright overhead light. Our eyes adjust to the warmth of candles, and our attention narrows to the food on the table and the loved ones gathered around. We are reminded of the joy of good food and good company. (As a parenting tip, it also makes the bedtime routine much easier! Without lightbulbs extending the day, our kids become sleepy and ready for bed much sooner.).

Complete the 30-day challenge. We are currently on day 16 of the 30-day minimalist challenge. The setup is simple: on day 1, part with 1 item; on day 2, part with 2 items; and, by day 30, part with 30 items. If we complete all 30 days, collectively Sarah and I will have donated, recycled, and, when necessary, trashed almost 1,000 items from our home.

Surprisingly, the challenge has been fairly easy thus far, and neither of us has made a difficult choice when parting with an item — which goes to show just how much stuff we randomly and mindlessly accumulate over time. From overstuffed kitchen drawers to long-unworn clothing buried deep in closets, our homes are full of things we don't need or want.

That free mug from a business conference five years ago? Gone. That mysterious pile of cords from some aging technology of uncertain origins? Gone. That shirt that I haven’t worn for years? Gone.

In the end, we hope to be surrounded by things that we love. Or, as Marie Kondo, author of The Life-Changing Magic Act of Tidying Up, would say: let us surround ourselves with those things that spark joy.

Organize office closets. As work-from-home business owners, we want our home offices to have a sense of “hygge,” a Danish concept meaning warmth and coziness. Unfortunately, our cluttered and disorganized closets and desks too often evoke a sense of overwhelm. In 2018, we’ll be cracking open filing cabinets and rummaging through our drawers with an eye to simplifying and digitizing.

Buy in bulk & organize pantry. Packaging — it fills our pantry. A box of steel cut oats, a box of raisins, a box of cereal, a package of mixed nuts, and so on and so forth. So many packages.

At Chasing Windmills, we try to minimize packaging. It’s why we use 100% recycled and recyclable polymailers (courtesy of our friends at EcoEnclose). It’s why we wrap our swaddles, blankets, and long johns in a beautifully simple ribbon. And it’s why we offset our carbon footprint every year (courtesy of our friends at TerraPass). It’s our small way of trying to minimize our footprint.

An opportunity also exists in our own pantry. By committing to buying bulk whenever possible, our organized pantry will be full of food instead of packaging. It’s a small step but we believe it’s worth taking.

Share the message of simplicity with our kids. Our children’s Waldorf preschool teacher is offering a parental education class this year on simplicity parenting (inspired by Kim John Payne’s book, Simplicity Parenting). We hope to use this opportunity to connect with other like-minded parents - community always manages to help us stay strong on our course of pursuing a simpler life when there is so much around us that distracts.

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If you were to walk into our home today, you would not say, “this family lives a very minimalist and spartan lifestyle.” Instead, you would see toys and craft projects in the family room, dolls and stuffed animals in our children’s rooms, paper-filled home offices, and so on. However, being a minimalist doesn’t mean living a life of deprivation.

Rather, minimalism is all about living a life of joy. It’s about surrounding yourself and your family with that which creates “hygge” and contentment. It’s about loving to use the things you own, instead of loving to buy the things you want. It’s a subtle distinction, but to us, it’s an important one.

We are by no means the perfect messengers for this movement, but we find comfort and meaning in this journey. We strive for the life we love. And to us, that’s an ideal worth chasing this year.

When biking through the neighborhood with our 5-year-old twins, I’m usually a few feet from their back wheels. They lead the way, but I follow closely to make sure they look both ways before crossing a street, to pick them up if they fall, and to mediate any disputes on which way to turn next (yes, those do happen!).

But this weekend, something changed. Our kids turned around and told me, “Daddy, follow medium far behind.” After some negotiating, we determined that “medium far behind” meant roughly one block — close enough to see them, call to them, and speed up to them quickly…but still far enough away to give them the sense of camaraderie together, on their own little adventure, making their own choices, and looking out for each other and themselves.

Proudly, I watched them stop at each crosswalk, hold out their little arms to stop the other from going, and then pedaling away together. They didn’t argue over who led, which way they turned, or how fast to pedal. They seemed really happy.

And I wasn’t there to listen to their happy chatter and be part of their adventure. I was medium far behind, close enough to zoom in if needed and yet far enough away to give them space.

Part of me wanted to pedal within a few meet of their back wheels again and soak up their companionship. But I knew that my presence would spoil their moment, their sense of adventure, their reliance upon each other, and their confidence in themselves. They needed those moments of me being medium far behind.

And that’s when I realized that, if I’m doing my job correctly as a parent, I’ll sometimes need to be medium far behind. They need to experience the joy and responsibility of thinking for themselves, being on their own, and growing into confident and independent human beings.

It may sound cliched, but this journey of parenthood is like none other. When our kids were newborns, spending their first week in the NICU, they needed us to be super close — none of this medium far behind stuff.

But as they mature, they’ll need their own adventures; they’ll need to test their own mettle. They’ll need us to step back so as to let them step forward. It’s bittersweet to be a parent sometimes, knowing that progress sometimes means becoming less so our children can become more.

But truth be known, it’s much sweeter than bitter. Sure, I felt a touch of disappointment that I couldn’t hear my kids talk to each other as they navigated their way through the neighborhood. But that feeling was overwhelmed by a sense of pride and contentment, watching them test their wings and practice flying.

Because someday, they will be ready to fly on their own. And I’ll remember those moments of being medium far behind and be filled with love and joy.

The best toys focus a child’s attention on the activity, not the thing.

This subtle insight comes from Kim John Payne, author of Simplicity Parenting — a book that we sometimes find ourselves re-reading as we strive to simplify our own lives and re-focus our family’s collective attention on what is true, beautiful, and good (while stripping away all the excess noise).

As we think about it, our kids’ favorite toys really do focus their attention more on the activity and less on the actual toy itself. We cherish the toys that entertain our kids for long uninterrupted stretches; the toys that make us parents grateful; the toys that add value, not clutter, to our lives.

Take bikes, for instance. Our kids have always loved bike riding — from their first few tentative steps on their balance bikes to their confident riding on their pedal bikes. We explore the neighborhood, cruise down our neighbor’s gently inclined driveway over and over, and bike to the park and farmer’s market.

Their bikes become the vehicle — quite literally — through which our kids explore. They are focused on pumping their little legs (“Mommy, do you think I’m as fast as the speed of light?”) and enjoying the thrill and freedom of being on two wheels.

As makers of merino wool children’s wear, we identify with the maxim that a well-made product focuses attention on the activity, not the thing. For this reason, we design clothing that lets you and your child focus on life’s important activities.

Our merino long johns are the coziest softest pajamas while also being a temperature-regulating base layer for winter’s outdoor fun. Designed for cozy sleeping and active play, our long johns allow kids to go from activity to activity without missing a beat.

In our estimation, the best clothes focus a child’s attention on the activity, not the thing. Here’s to celebrating that which is true, beautiful and good in your family’s life.

Nothing like hot cocoa sipping, wreath making, photo taking, and supporting your favorite indie brands to get in the holiday spirit. This past weekend we hosted the 2nd annual Starlight Market. We are filled with gratitude as we think about all the vendors that came together to put on such a lovely event, and the community that gathered to celebrate the season. It's really the simple joy of gathering that is the most meaningful. May the season be merry!

Kids don’t mean to be so profound, but they just can’t help it. Their youthful wisdom spills out freely and beautifully.

Yesterday, I picked up our kids from kindergarten and benefited from one of those nuggets of wisdom. Sarah is usually the one to pick up our kids from school, but she’s been working like crazy to plan and prepare for this season's holiday markets.

And so, I had the pleasure of picking up the kids from school. When we change our schedules around, however, we first paint mental pictures of the day-to-day routine for our kids. “Tomorrow, Mommy is going to drop you off at school, where you get to play all morning and eat yummy millet rolls, and then Daddy will pick you up,” and so on and so forth. When they know what to expect, they just seem to digest the day better.

And so, when I picked up our kids from kindergarten yesterday, I launched into one of those mental pictures of what the next few unpredictable days would look like. I started with, “All right, for tomorrow…” before my little boy stopped me.

He said, “But Daddy, everyday is today.” I stopped myself and smiled. Yes, it is, little buddy, yes it is.

He is right. We live entirely in the present, but we dwell on the past and plan for the future. As grown-ups, we cannot forget the past or walk blindly into the future. At the same time, however, we must ask ourselves: how much of the present is lost because of worry about what has been and what will be?

For the rest of the day, I tried to embrace my little boy’s mantra of “everyday is today.” I tried to remind myself to be fully present reading stories to our kids and biking around the neighborhood with them.

I allowed myself a glimpse of what it means to be fully present, if only for a few precious moments. Thanks for that gift, buddy.

Unlike cotton, merino naturally wicks away moisture and retains heat even when wet. If your little one is wearing cotton long johns and snow slips under the jacket, the cotton layer will rob the wearer of warmth.

Not so with merino. Nature’s original high-performance fiber holds in warmth even when wet and dries quickly. Whether it’s a little sweat or an errant snow ball, merino works hard to keep your little one active and cozy in all types of conditions.

I swim to stretch, to breathe, to become lost in my own thoughts, to get to the point where my body stops fighting me and just turns loose in the water.

On some of my best swim days, I forget to count laps. I get in a rhythm. Stroke, breathe, kick, repeat. My mind wanders.

At some point, my consciousness kicks back in. I stroke and kick to the wall and pull off my goggles.

After I stop swimming, I notice that I’m breathing heavily and my arms and legs feel heavy with use. I became aware, once again, of my basic bodily sensations — sensations that moved into the background in my rhythmic meditative swimming.

Life is all about rhythms — the automated processes that govern us from dawn to dusk. The thing is though, we don’t see the rhythms when we’re in one. It’s not until we stop and catch our breath that we see the rhythm.

For me, swimming is a healthy rhythm. It stretches my body and gives my active mind a little peace.

But life is fraught with negative rhythms too. It’s all too easy to get caught up in a rhythm that detracts from life’s goals.

For us, our children made us keenly aware of these rhythms — the good and the not-so-good ones. As we set out to create a life as a family, we started asking each other questions about what kind of present and future we wanted to share together.

In a way, we became attuned to our role as the artists of our lives, not passive figures blindly wrapped up in daily rhythms.

We do not have all the answers, but we have gained a degree of clarity and a sense of direction. Whether we are cooking a family meal, reading books to our children, or dreaming up a new line of merino long johns, we strive to make conscious choices.

Choices about what enriches our lives. Choices about what we wish to share with our kids. Choices about the community to which we want to contribute.

So, let’s all remember to stop and catch our collective breath, so that we can become aware of the rhythms in our lives. Let’s consciously throw our collective energy into what is true, beautiful, and good.

We are co-hosting an event with Ibex on Saturday, September 9th from 10 am to 2pm at Ibex's Denver shop in Cherry Creek North (located at 250 Columbine Street, Denver, CO 80206). The event, "Adventures Start Young," is a celebration of fall and families -- inspiring mamas, papas, and their little ones to get out there and explore this fall and winter.

We would love to celebrate with you and your families! Chasing Windmills will pop-up with our line of super soft merino wool goods inside Ibex's shop, alongside Ibex's merino offerings for all the grown-ups out there.

Whether your family is looking forward to hiking among the changing aspen trees, sledding after the first snow, or hitting the ski slopes this winter, you'll find everything you need to stay comfy and cozy for your family's adventures. We will also offer refreshments, kids activites, and giveaways too! We hope to see you there!

We must say that, it's an honor for our little merino kid's wear brand to stand beside Ibex for this event. A conscious company that believes in what is true, beautiful, and good, Ibex has always been a beacon for us on our journey.

We hope to see your smiling faces and beautiful families at Ibex on Saturday, September 9th. Here's to all of your adventures ahead!